Tag Archives: Utah

Watch Chris Birch Jump the KTM 890 Adventure R Over and Over Again

I like using grime, particularly right here in Utah. The trails are plentiful, well-kept, and have various levels of technicality that push me to be a greater rider. But even after greater than a decade doing this professionally, in addition to using bikes since I used to be 17, I watch somebody like KTM’s Chris Birch and simply need to cowl my face and conceal in a nook. 

Good lord, dude, how’d you get this freakin’ good? 

I ask this after watching Birch’s newest video with KTM in the place he takes the model’s middleweight 890 Adventure R to my state of residence and completely rails the rattling factor. He jumps it, goes up a gnarly and tight hillclimb which he practically falls off the opposite facet, after which goes again down it. 

He and his using companion—who’s operating a KTM 450 XC-F—then run washes, and customarily make using these technical as hell trails look straightforward. But what I actually get out of this movie is that the majority of us rider writers might use some extra tutelage from people like Chris to get the complete bananas out of the journey bikes we experience and write about.

I imply, I do know everybody thinks they push their machines, but when Chris’ means to take a reasonably heavy bike into spots the place most would second-guess throwing a two-stroke at, what the heck are all of us doing? We may very well be pushing stuff just like the KTM 890 Adventure R, Honda Transalp, Yamaha Tenere 700, and others a lot extra. It additionally simply goes to indicate you the extent of engineering a producer like KTM is placing into these machines if Chris can do all this with out challenge. 

I’m simply in awe of the masterclass Chris places on on this video which, actually, is like all the man’s movies. You’re left simply questioning, “How can I get better?” Maybe it is by shopping for a KTM? Maybe it is asking Chris to coach me? Whatever the case could also be, watch the video above and get hungry to begin operating some trails, as using season is simply across the nook. 

Utah Pilot Program Installs GPS to Track Cars for Road Use Tax and Tolls

A pilot program in Utah is testing a new way to charge drivers for using the streets. The Utah Department of Transportation, ETAN Tolling Technology, and ClearRoad have announced the Local Road Usage Charging and Tolling Integration Pilot. The program will use GPS to monitor where vehicles are and bill the owners based on their road usage. The pilot program will run for six months with approximately 100 volunteers in the cities of Ogden, St. George, Saratoga Springs, and South Jordan. The goal is to gather data and provide a final report to the Federal Highway Administration. The pilot program is funded by a federal grant.

Currently, Utah has a Road Usage Charge for electric vehicles (EVs), but this pilot program aims to expand the charging system to all vehicles. EV owners can already enroll in the program or pay a flat fee of $130.25 for 2023. Participants in the program install a device in their vehicle’s OBD port and set up an account on an app. The charge is currently one cent per mile on top of the flat fee.

The GPS system used in the pilot program will provide more accurate data on where people drive, allowing for precise billing for toll roads and locally-owned roads. This data will also help allocate revenue to the correct municipalities responsible for road maintenance.

The pilot program will test the integration of the GPS system with the existing ExpressLane operations, providing a single account management and billing system for both road usage charging and tolling. The goal is to create a seamless experience for participants and future drivers.

The Utah Department of Transportation hopes to learn about optimizing payment methods and wallet management for drivers participating in road usage charging programs. This pilot program is the first of its kind to unify different forms of road pricing into one system.

ClearRoad, the company involved in this pilot program, has previously worked on Oregon’s OReGO road use charging program and a congestion charge pilot program in Bogota, Colombia.

Once the pilot program is complete, the Utah Department of Transportation will evaluate the results and decide whether to implement this new road usage charging system for drivers in the state.